High-End Makeup To Try in 2018

One my biggest goals in 2018 is to go completely cruelty-free with my makeup collection. While there are a lot of drugstore brands that are cruelty-free, I find the majority of options are high-end, which means it’s a lot more of an investment. I’ve never had a problem spending money on my makeup since I’m putting it on my face and near my eyes, but it’s still hard to part with my hard earned cash for a mascara. Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of the high-end, cruelty-free products I’d like to try out over the course of 2018 — that way I’m not dropping $400 in one Sephora visit. Let’s get started!

1. Stila One Step Correct Primer

One of my roommates in college and I used to love to go to Ulta together, and this is one of the products she made me test once because it made your hand so soft. It has 4/5 stars on Sephora, and I’ve seen beauty YouTubers raving about it in their 2017 favorites. It claims to correct, brighten, and smooth your skin before makeup application, and it retails for $36.

2. Too Faced Peach Perfect Comfort Matte Foundation

I’ve never tested out high-end foundation, and I think Too Faced would be a great way to start. This Peach Perfect Comfort Matte Foundation launched in 2017, and some of my favorite beauty bloggers have been talking about how much they love it lately. It has 4.3/5 stars on Sephora, and claims to be medium coverage, good for pretty much all skin types, and last for 14 hours. I’m always looking for something to stay on my face ALL DAY, so I hope this is it! This product retails for $36.

3. Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Full-Coverage Concealer

This is a brand new concealer on the market that is rivaling the highly popular Tarte Shape Tape (which I love, but find I have to repurchase way too frequently). It claims to be matte and full-coverage hiding dark spots, blemishes, and even tattoos if necessary. It has 3.8/5 stars on Sephora and retails for $29.

4. Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder

I’ve always wanted to try out the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder since it’s so raved about online, but unfortunately, from my research, Laura Mercier is not cruelty free. Therefore, I have to find something that rivals it, and I think this Perfect Setting Powder from Cover FX is it. I’d also love to try more from Cover FX, which is a vegan and cruelty-free brand. The powder has 4.4/5 stars on Sephora with over 300 reviews. It claims to blur and smooth skin and set makeup all day. This product retails for $35.

5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer

Hourglass is one of those brands that I’ve always wanted to try, but never wanted to fork over the cash for. This product claims to bronze while also illuminating the skin, making it look truly sun-kissed. It has 4.5/5 stars on Sephora, and retails for $50.

6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trio

The biggest name in blush in the high-end market, from my experience, is Tarte for its Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes, which I have already tried and love. So, in 2018, I’d love to try more from the Anastasia Beverly Hills brand, including its new Blush Trio that recently came out. I love the range of colors these trios come in (there are five different trios to pick from), and it’s only $30. This product has 4.7/5 stars on Sephora.

7. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Opal

There are few highlighters more raved about than the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors. I’ve, of course, heard about every one of them, but I think the shade Opal is the one I’m most drawn to. It’s described as being a golden pearl, which sounds absolutely stunning, and swatches in the store leave me with the exact same impression. It has 4.6/5 stars on Sephora, and retails for $38.

8. Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette

I’ve had my eye on this beauty for quite some time now. My favorite things to spend money on are eye shadow palettes because they are just so beautiful and fun to play with, but I’ve held off on buying the Modern Renaissance palette because I wasn’t sure how often I would use the deep pinks in it. 2018 might be the year I finally cave. This palette retails for $42, and has 4.8/5 stars.

9. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

In my many years of makeup application, I only recently was able to “master” the art of liquid eyeliner. If you’ve struggled with liquid liner in the past but always loved the way it looked, I really recommend using a brush tip. My favorite eyeliner is from EM Cosmetics. It has a brush tip applicator, just like the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. A brush tip glides a lot more easily than a felt tip, and it’s easier to control a pen (in my opinion) than in other forms liquid liners come in. This product retails for $20, and has 4.2/5 stars on Sephora with over 11,000 reviews.

10. Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

I’ve tried a lot of Tarte products over the years — it’s my favorite brand — but I haven’t yet ventured into its mascara. The Gifted mascara claims to repair lashes and give a volumized look that doesn’t flake all day. It has 4.4/5 stars on Sephora, and retails for $23.

11. Pretty Vulgar Defined Brilliance Eyebrow Pencil

Pretty Vulgar is a relatively new brand to Sephora that didn’t get a ton of love from the beauty community initially. I have heard some people talking about this eyebrow pencil though, which convinced me to give the brand a shot. It has 4.8/5 stars on Sephora, but only eight reviews. It retails for $22.

12. Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick

I’ve been wanting to try these for so long. I’m not quite sure what color I want yet, but with almost 30 shades to choose from, I’m sure I’ll find my perfect shade. This liquid lipstick claims to stay put for eight hours, and I’ve heard it doesn’t dry out your lips like other high-end formulas. It has 4.3/5 stars on Sephora, and retails for $24.

Like I said, these products aren’t cheap, but one purchase every so often won’t break the bank. Let me know what products you’re excited to try out in 2018 in the comments below!

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